Wall of Sound…

Monday, April 10th, 2023 (The Southern Tier Bicycle Route)

The team awakes at 3:00 am and is out the Casino door 45 minutes later. A crux move–45 miles across the desert through the Algodones Dunes (Imperial Sand Dunes) and then another 21 miles into Calexico. Temps predicted near 100 by mid afternoon in this below sea level stretch. Once again, a mix of frontage road and Interstate 8.

The Wheelman is afraid his ghost vinyl will warp in the heat as he rides today, so he pulls out the old RCA am tube radio stored in his occipital lobe and spins the dial. Nothing but mariachi static from across the Mexican border in the lower KHz ranges but at the higher end he picks up a station from Calexico playing an old Wall of Voodoo song from 1982.

“I feel a hot wind on my shoulder
And the touch of a world that is older
Turn the switch and check the number
Leave it on when in bed I slumber
I hear the rhythms of the music
I buy the product and never use it
I hear the talking of the dj
Can’t understand just what does he say?
I’m on a mexican (Whoa Oh) radio
I’m on a mexican (Whoa Oh) radio

The team of the Wheelman, his aortic pig valve Pinto and touring bicycle Lady Luck discuss the labor shortage they have seen all across the Southern USA as they pedal. It’s agreed by all, we need to give jobs and opportunities to some of the migrants. The Wheelman, not from higher educational echelons, has no better solutions to offer the politicians, but he would tell them to use their hearts like these folks were their own family. What percentage of these broken people actually have fentanyl in their backpacks? Pinto reminds the Wheelman not to go there. It’s complicated and civil conversations are unfortunately rare these days.

The heat rises across the desert sands as the team rolls west–sluggish legs, sluggish minds. The ghost radio fades back and forth across the borderline. A staticky Raymond Ayala accordion blends into Selena singing Como la Flor– comparing love to a wilted flower.

Charley, the Wheelman’s riding companion, flats twice in the last five miles. Charley is now up to five flats total on the Southern Tier with the Wheelman still in the lead at seven. Not bad for almost 3000 miles of road.

They see the border wall a block ahead as they roll into their cheap hotel in Calexico. 61 miles and 7 1/2 hours on the tarmac including the flats.

Lady Luck reminds the whole team, “you can’t build a wall to stop the music.” They turn the radio dial again and pick up a station from Mexicali–a giant wall of sound–Diego Rivera, blowing out some hot Mexican Jazz. Something called Soul Purpose.

“When you get to know a lot of people, you make a great discovery. You find that no one group has a monopoly on looks, brains, goodness or anything else. It takes all the people – black and white, Catholic, Jewish and Protestant, recent immigrants and Mayflower descendants – to make up America.”

Judy Garland

This is a very old quote that could be updated in a more modern and inclusive terminology, but Judy has the right spirit. “There’s no place like home.” Let’s give some of these folks a home.

Cheers, Lady Luck, Pinto, Wheelman and Charley.